Creating A Wedding Budget You Can Afford

The most important part of planning a wedding is setting your budget. Your budget is important because it is next to impossible to know what you can afford for each major part of the wedding if you don't set an overall cost that is comfortable for you. You will probably find that deciding the budget is the hardest job to do because, of course, you want to have the best and most memorable wedding you can possibly have.

The days when the wedding was paid for by the parents of the bride are almost gone now. Parents will often contribute to the wedding cost as a gift to the couple, but it is pretty rare for parents to cover the whole cost of the wedding.

Usually this is because the parents simply can't afford it. But couples today often prefer to pay for their own weddings because it ensures that they can plan them the way that they want to without interference.

These days, 4 out of 5 couples pay for their own wedding and it helps to know how your budget should be broken down.

When creating your budget, you will first begin with the overall amount that you can afford to spend. The average wedding today costs approximately $19,000. This is not a definite, but this is what the statistics currently show.

Now you will need to take that overall budget amount and split it percentage-wise for each major aspect of your wedding e.g. how much to spend on the wedding clothing, the rings, catering, decorating the venue etc. If you are not good at percentages, you can always utilize the Internet and check with the various websites that offer you free or cheap wedding budget calculators that will do it for you.

With these calculators, all that you have to do is input the total budget amount and then they will calculate for you how much money in dollars you will be able to spend on each component of your wedding.

Once you have figured out the dollar amount that you can spend on each component of the wedding, you can then begin to create a list itemizing everything.

You will need to put together a list of all the areas of your wedding that are important to you and make sure that you allocate a sensible proportion of the total budget to each.

This is necessary so that you can see if the wedding of your dreams is a realistic expectation given what you can afford to spend. If you come up short, here are some ideas to enable you to trim the expenses:

? Reduce the size of the guest list

? Forego some of the services

? Reduce the size of the wedding party

? Forget the extras like limos

It is only by setting down on paper a budget you can afford and listing all of the areas that you have to spend money on that you can begin to refine your ideas on the type and scope of wedding that it is realistic for you to aim for.

Afterall, you will have plenty of expenses to cover after the wedding when starting out on your married life together. It just doesn't make sense to create problems by over-stretching financially on the wedding.

Alan Allport is Webmaster at http://www.wedding-source.best-gen.com where he has published a FREE Online guide to planning the perfect wedding on a budget

no-contract cleaning service Deerfield ..
In The News:

Learn how to act against cybercriminals in 2026 with essential security steps like two-factor authentication, software updates and credit freezing.
Choose between OpenAI releasing Sora text-to-video model, the AI race heating up, or Waymo driverless cars launching in cities across the country
Learn how to set up Google Maps and Apple Maps on your phone to automatically remember where you parked. Step-by-step instructions for enabling location services and parking detection.
Phishing scammers use rnicrosoft.com domain to impersonate Microsoft by replacing "m" with "rn" in typosquatting attacks that steal login credentials.
OpenAI announces new teen safety rules for ChatGPT users under 18, blocking romantic roleplay and requiring extra caution on body image topics.
A 2025 data breach at fintech company 700Credit exposes personal information of more than 5.8 million people through compromised third-party integration partner.
Retailers lose $76.5 billion annually to return fraud as nearly 10% of U.S. retail returns involve fraudulent activity, with $850 billion in returns expected in 2025.
ShinyHunters claims responsibility for stealing 94GB of Pornhub user data affecting over 200 million records and demands Bitcoin ransom.
ChatGPT 2025 now connects to Apple Music, Canva, Expedia, TripAdvisor and OpenTable through built-in apps that help users create playlists, design graphics and more.
Apple releases emergency patches for two zero-day vulnerabilities actively exploited in attacks. iPhone and iPad users urged to update immediately.
DoorDash launches Zesty, an AI-powered social app that recommends restaurants through conversational search, now testing in San Francisco and New York.
Cybersecurity firm Infoblox reveals that over 90 percent of parked domains now redirect visitors to scams and malware, making simple typos extremely dangerous.
The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
GPT-5.2 is now live for all ChatGPT users with improved coding, writing and image interpretation, with Kurt Knutsson offering his review.
New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.
Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.
New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.
Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.
Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.
New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.
The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.
San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.
FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.
Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.
Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.

Family Law

A frustrating lack of permanence plagues modern relationships. Approximately one... Read More

How to Write a Love Letter

Let's talk about writing love letters.Not candy coated pap. Not... Read More

Get Fantastic Deals on Catering for Your Wedding

When it comes to your catering services for your wedding,... Read More

Sending Out Your Wedding Invitations

It really doesn't matter if you are planning to have... Read More

Bridal Shower Games?The Good, the Bad and the Overdone

Games can make or break a shower. The best can... Read More

Save on Wedding Costs and Have that Chocolate Fountain

Chocolate fountains, once a rarity at weddings, are becoming more... Read More

Anniversary Gift Guide

An anniversary gift is the opportunity to show your loved... Read More

Bridal Shower Games Are Extremely Fun!

Bridal shower games are a wonderful way to put your... Read More

Wedding Save the Date Cards?Best Ideas and Wording

The sole purpose of save-the-date cards is to give the... Read More

Saving Money on Wedding Music

When it comes to wedding music, there are some choices... Read More

Planning a Special Wedding Shower

The wedding shower is a traditional party of the marriage... Read More

Toss a Garter or Two

The tempo of the music begins to rise. Drums begin... Read More

How to Find the Right Bridesmaid Dresses for Your Wedding

The kind of bridesmaid dresses your bridal attendants should should... Read More

10 Common Wedding Reception Mistakes

Every bride wants a fairytale wedding. Therefore, this article is... Read More

Wedding Frames ? Are Your Wedding Photographs Safe?

One of the top priorities on a wedding day is... Read More

Selecting Your Wedding Centerpieces

Wedding centerpieces help tie together the look of your entire... Read More

Unique Wedding Reception Entertainment

The typical wedding reception entertainment scheme of pretty flowers and... Read More

All The Details: 25 Ways to Make Your Wedding a Unique and Truly Memorable Event

If you've been to one wedding, you've seen it all.... Read More

Get The Bling Without The Sting - Affordable Engagement Rings

Just because you don't have a lot of money doesn't... Read More

Choosing a Wedding Date ?- When You?re Feeling Indecisive

He ? or she ? asked, and you answered in... Read More

Wedding Extravaganza

The extravagance of weddings is a popular topic. We blame... Read More

Were Engaged!

He's popped the question and you're dying to tell someone.... Read More

Wedding Planning 101: Create a Wedding Planner

Did your wonderful husband-to-be recently "pop the question" and now... Read More

Wedding Planning Ideas and Guidelines

Wedding planning is a difficult task for everyone. Unless you... Read More

Cookie Wedding Favors

Cookies as wedding favors, create an unique twist on the... Read More

pet-friendly home cleaners Mundelein ..